The Sweeter Side of Sisterhood

My previous post might make it look like my kids always argue, but they don't.  

Being Thankful

Every night before we say prayers we talk as a family about what we are grateful for.

Me: Pops, what are you grateful for today?

P: Jesus and Santa Claus.

Me:  Good ones!  I'm thankful for them, too!

Chris: How about you, Juj?  What are you thankful for?

J: Spoons!

P: Good one, Juj!

Me:  ...Spoons?

J: Yeah.  Spoons and Popeye!

P: Thanks, Juj!

J: You're welcome, Pops!

Bedtime

I'm telling you, we had a rough time getting ready for bed the other night.  After an hour of reading books and cuddling and singing songs and cuddling and re-brushing our teeth, and getting drinks and going to the bathroom and singing more songs (you get it) I had had enough.  I left the girls in their room with Juj crying because she still did not want to go to bed.  After a minute or so the crying stopped and I sat outside their door and listened to them talk to each other.

P:  I'm sorry Mom is mean, Juj.  Want me to tell you a story?

J: (Sniffle) Yes.

P: Once upon a time there was a girl and she had sugar bugs on his teeth!  The bugs were big and they came alive and killed all of the roosters.  Really.  All of the roosters were dead.  Then monsters came but they were not like Sully and Mike.  They were bad sugar bug monsters and they killed everybody unless they just hided and everybody was all dead from the sugar bugs for the rest of their lives.  The end. (Pause) There.  Do you feel better, Juj?

J: Yes, Popeye.  Thank you.

And then they just went to sleep!  I had a difficult time sleeping because that was the most horrifying bedtime story I've ever heard.  I can't wait to thank my dentist for teaching the girls about sugar bugs.

(On a slightly related note, P woke up that night crying because she had a nightmare.  I asked her what happened in her nightmare.  She said that in her dream Juj used her bathroom and didn't wash her hands.  P wanted to wake up Juj and make her wash her hands.  At 2 a.m.  I talked her out of it and we said a prayer, instead.  Monsters don't scare her but the idea that there are people walking around without washing their hands after using the bathroom is absolutely frightening to her.  There is so much this kid gets from her dad, but every once in a while she does something like this and I think, "Wow, she does have some of me in her.  Poor kid.")